Not familiar with the word “snooker,” a transitive verb? Well, here are are a few synonyms: “Bamboozle, con, dupe, hoodwink, sucker, suck in, trick." This is what HSL Properies did to our Mayor, and his “3 stooges,” Councilmembers Hornat, Snider and Waters.
Question: Is HSL Properties, owners and managers of many Tucson apartment complexes and four hotels, a “not for profit company?” Obviously, the answer is a resounding “NO!”
As such, the next question is this: Why in the world would a company that is in business to make money, be “kind enough” to offer Oro Valley a “special deal” to purchase the Hilton El Conquistador amenities, including the golf courses and the Country Club building for one million dollars----especially when they convinced Hiremath that they had other buyers ready to buy at a higher price and a decision had to be eminent?
The answer comes down to one word, and that word is “snooker.” These four councilmembers were either totally snookered, or they decided that the well being of the community wasn’t as important as supporting a developer that contributed thousands of dollars to help them in their reelection campaign.
So, now we’ll have an additional 1/2% sales tax to support this “boondoggle.” Talk about “unintended consequences.” Not only does Oro Valley have 45 holes of golf, but a decades old Country Club that will require millions of dollars to upkeep and renovate. And let’s not forget the money we’ll be paying Troon to manage this disaster that HSL couldn’t wait to unload.
The last time an Oro Valley Council got snookered----and it wasn’t this bad, was when Vestar, the Phoenix based developer got a previous council to give them almost 50% of our sales tax revenue for ten years to bring us an “upscale and unique” shopping experience. That ended up being another “run of the mill” mall anchored by Walmart, known as the Oro Valley Marketplace.
Now, these four outdid even that prior group, and it “ain’t gonna” be pretty!
Time for a recall election, you think?
Art Segal
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Art Segal is an original founder of LOVE. He posted on LOVE for five years. Art led the successful effort to allow Oro Valley voters the right to vote on whether they wanted Oro Valley to share sales tax revenues, up to $20 million, with the developer of the Oro Valley Marketplace. It took many court appearances to make this happen. Thanks to Art and others, the vote did happen.
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19 comments:
At least they can't sign off on the deal until after the referendum petitions are submitted & then it will go to a vote of the people. Hopefully, enough details will be out by then that everyone can make an informed decision. This was non-transparent governance that puts a bad light on the Town. Sun City is open Mon & Tues from 10-2 in their activity center for all OV voters to sign. The Library also has volunteers from 10-4 Mon & Tues. Visit toothinov.org for future locations & times to sign the petitions.
This "deal" is so harebrained that either the "mayor and his three stooges" were bamboozled, conned, duped, hoodwinked, and suckered or else they were PAID OFF. Either way, it reveals that they're not fit for public office. And OV Dad should be chiming in any minute now.
I got "knocked down" by Tucsonbass for mentioning Mike Zinkin's radio interview last week. He seems to think Mike isn't being truthful. I suggest an open debate between both sides at a place where there is plenty of room for people to come. Both sides can bring in "experts" to explain their side. Everybody's equal, the Mayor and Council sit with the rest of us. Questions can get asked by anyone.
AzSheeplady......I KNOW Mike Zinkin isn't being truthful. I have really never know him to be truthful to in include his denial of his actions shortly after his election.
Shirl......what "puts a bad light on the Town" is a council that contains a harasser of female town employees (as identified by an independent counsel and reported in the local newspaper) , a lawyer that pled two felony charges down to misdemeanors and a person who calls the police department prima donnas and thugs. Oh.....and the people who support them also.
Isn't it somewhat interesting that VC and Artski used the same words. You don't suppose that they..........hmmmmmmmm. Surely not. :-)
It is my understanding that Zinkin's alleged actions were vindicated by the Judicial System. I heard that Mr. Cox paid money to Zinkin as a result of the litigation. Zinkin, Garner, Burns never took any money from any developers. They have always voted for the People. When the vast majority of citizen input is against the El Con purchase, why did the "4" vote for it? Aren't they there to represent the Citizens?
I used the same words because I was quoting from his article. You couldn't figure that out?
If it "puts a bad light on the Town" when a council member harasses a female employee, I must refer you back to the Betty Dickens complaint where Joe Hornat was accused of harassing a female town employee. You support HIM, don't you? One set of rules for your guys, another set of rules for everyone else. And there were plenty of statements in the report that vindicated Zinkin, you just chose to ignore them because they don't validate your beliefs.
VC......The major difference is that the investigation into the Dickens/Hornat episode found there was no basis for the complaint. In the Zinkin case the independent counsel found, "there is ample corroboration that the Councilmember has made at least several inappropriate comments of a sexual nature or regarding persons of Mexican national originthat have troubled Town employees and possible third parties as well." She goes on to further state, "there remains what was describedby several witnesses as a culture of distrust and fear of retaliation among employees of the Town". Is that what you refer to as vindication?
As usual you are incorrect.
As a matter of fact you ended your quote prior ro using those words. Maybe he got them from you? :-)
As usual, you are incorrect.
I didn't include those words in the quotes because I didn't quote all of them and I didn't quote them exactly as he stated them. He used present tense. I used past tense. I also left out "suck in" and "trick" which would have been changed to sucked in and tricked if I had used them. Try to keep up.
Cox is getting off the subject. The subject is NOT Zinkin. Cox has already led an unsuccessful recall effort. The subject is this bone head idea to buy a golf course...no not a golf course, a Community Center, opps not a Community Center..it is about control of land. It is a stupid, fiscally irresponsible thing to do, but Cox is drinking the same Kool Aid as Hiremath, Snider, Waters, and Hornat.
That independent counsel report you have on Zinkin must be nearly unreadable by now. After all, you've been sleeping with it every night for months. Your security blanket?
I've also heard about a "culture of distrust and fear of retaliation among employees of the Town" but neither has anything to do with Zinkin. He's one of the most laid back easy going people you could work with. Shall we discuss Hiremath's violent temper?
Don't like it when the facts are presented, do ya???
I do keep the report in the file cabinet to remind you folks of the character and integrity of those you support.
The "culture of distrust" started with the issue over a counselman misusing his office and a Town employeed being fired. Then followed by the harassment and lying about it afterward even though he apologized for it.
You can certainly be proud of the 'trio of trouble'.
"Don't like it when the facts are presented, do ya?"
(1) I have a copy of the same report that you sleep with and there were plenty of comments that made the other side's arguments look weak and they vindicated Mike. You ignore them.
(2) Funny how you responded to this post but not to the one where I explained that you were WRONG about my use of the same words that Art used. Don't like it when facts are presented, do ya?
(3) You say that Mike apologized. Good. That's means he's a better man than you. You recently falsely accused me of something and when I was able to prove that you were wrong, YOU did not apologize. Don't like it when facts are presented, do ya?
(4) When Mike apologized, he said that he never meant to offend anyone. You go out of your way to offend others when you call them idiots or delusional, etc. And again, that makes him a better man than you.
Well, I'm glad that you not only agree, but you enthusiastically and wholeheartedly agree!
And now I'm done with this discussion.
Always a pleasure,
Ciao
VC and Tucsonbass... Could you please get on point? Or, if you want, let me set up a place for you guys to meet to "duke it out." I had hoped we would be past this.
Do you have anything to support ANY of your assumptions???
Hi Art!!
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